Chapter 225: The Beta’s Dignity
Pack Hospital – 2:37 PM
Everything was calm.
Too calm.
Bastien, focused on his screen, studied fetal growth reports with a furrowed brow. Two nurses were sorting vials in perfect coordination. Soraya was perched on a stool, sipping tea as if the chaos of the world had no claim on her.
And then—
The doors burst open.
“SHE’S COMING!”
Drake’s booming voice echoed through the tiled hallways like a supernatural alarm.
“LUNA LYA IS COMING! SHE’S IN LABOR!”
That was ground zero.
The two nurses dropped their vials—one screamed, the other tripped. A patient in the waiting room fainted silently. Bastien leapt from his chair, already grabbing an emergency kit. Soraya… raised a single eyebrow. But behind her calm, a flicker of draconic fire lit in her eyes.
Grinning from ear to ear, Drake flailed his arms like a frantic semaphore.
“TWILIGHT CODE ACTIVATED! I REPEAT, TWILIGHT CODE!”
“You just made that up,” grunted Bastien, already sliding across the floor in his clunky medical clogs.
“We improvise! She screamed! I swear I heard it!”
A young healer showed up with a bucket of boiling water, convinced it was useful. Another staff member ran around with a pile of towels, though no one knew where he was going.
And in the midst of the chaos:
“Drake…” Soraya exhaled, stepping down slowly from her stool.
Too slowly.
“Drake, I swear, if this is a joke—”
“It’s not! It’s an improvised tactical drill to test emergency readiness! Lya could go into labor at any moment! We must be ready! It’s in two weeks—maybe less!”
Silence fell.
Bastien froze mid-movement.
The towel-carrying nurse stopped at the end of the hall, turned… and threw a pillow at Drake.
“ALL THAT FOR A DRILL?!”
Drake dodged it with flair.
“Quick reflexes! Impressive! Write it in the report! You’ll thank me when the real emergency comes!”
“You’ll regret this,” Soraya muttered as she approached, eyes half-lidded. “Very. Soon.”
“Wait—what?”
She raised a hand. A thin blue flame danced from her fingers, curling around Drake like a burning ribbon of irony.
“I think our Beta needs… a hands-on demonstration. Bastien, do you still have that rectal probe you wanted to test on the lab rats?”
Drake took a step back. Then another.
“Uh—I suddenly have a strategic meeting with Malick, sorry, very enlightening, gotta run—see you later!”
“Too late,” Bastien growled. “Hold him.”
“No! I’m Beta! I have diplomatic immunity! SORAYA, YOU WERE MY FRIEND!”
“I’m a dragon. Not your friend. And I’m having fun.”
A scream echoed through the hallway, followed by the low roar of fire.
In the waiting room, an old wolf muttered:
“Told you. Never provoke a dragon…”
Family Manor – Caleb’s Office
The late morning was peaceful. A light breeze filtered through the half-open window, and Loric was drawing on a corner of parchment while Lya rested her legs across Caleb’s lap, stretched out on the couch. The Alpha was sorting through documents with the look of a man who would rather be sorting cuddles.
Their calm didn’t last long.
A soft knock.
“Come in,” Caleb grunted without looking up.
The door opened to reveal Soraya, arms crossed, a deliciously predatory smile on her lips. She walked in with unmistakable dragon grace, then leaned against the bookshelf.
“I came to inform you that… the pack hospital is now ready. Tested, stressed… and officially apocalypse-certified.”
Caleb looked up at last.
“What do you mean?”
“I mean Drake decided to test the emergency protocols… by screaming through the entire hospital that you were in labor, Lya.”
Silence. A beat.
“Excuse me?” said Lya, an incredulous smile forming.
“He yelled in the halls. ‘LUNA LYA IS COMING! SHE’S IN LABOR!’ — direct quote. Full panic. Nurses on the floor, Bastien squeaking in his clogs, healers with boiling water… I nearly roasted him on the spot.”
Caleb, already laughing, sank into his chair.
“That idiot did that? For a tactical drill?”
Lya burst into laughter too, one of those deep, belly-shaking laughs that made Kaelan squirm in protest.
“I’m… I’m going to give birth from laughing at this point!”
Soraya went on, merciless:
“I took the liberty of a small revenge. Drake has been requisitioned for a surprise medical experiment with Bastien. Let’s just say… certain probes are being tested. Very. Precisely.”
“No… no!” Caleb wheezed, tears in his eyes.
“He signed a fake consent form. I may have enchanted the pen. Legally questionable. Morally delightful.”
Lya wiped her eyes, trying to catch her breath:
“Soraya… you are my idol.”
And just as they began to calm down…
An outraged voice echoed down the hallway:
“WHAT ABOUT MY BETA DIGNITY?!”
Another round of thunderous laughter exploded in the office.
Even Loric, without understanding, laughed along.
Manor Hallway – A Few Moments Later
Drake wandered the hallway looking grim, one hand on his hip, the other clutching a soothing gel bottle from Bastien. He muttered to himself:
“… Beta dignity trampled, honor in ruins… I’ll exile myself to the Silent Mountains… become a hermit…”
Click-click—small determined steps on polished floors.
Loric appeared, hugging a plush dragon that was far too big for him. He stopped in front of Drake, deadly serious.
“Uncle Drake?”
Drake looked up, surprised.
“Yes, little wolf?”
Loric nodded solemnly.
“I came… to comfort you. Mommy said you suffered and it wasn’t very nice.”
He stepped closer, held out his plushie.
“You can hold her for a while if you want. Her name is Bouboule. She scares away nightmares.”
Drake’s face twitched with unexpected emotion.
“Thank you, little guy. That’s… that’s very noble of you.”
But Loric wasn’t done.
“And don’t worry. Mommy said you were still kinda brave. And even if you cried a little—”
“I did NOT cry,” Drake interrupted, scandalized.
“… even if you didn’t cry a lot, I’m sure Bastien didn’t scold you too hard. And the butt needles will stop hurting soon.”
Drake blinked, as if struck by an invisible arrow.
“The what?”
“And even if you don’t have dignity anymore… well, you still have hair! Lots of it! And you’re funny. Being funny is important, you know?”
Silence.
Loric beamed and delivered the final blow with conviction:
“Uncle Drake… you’re a good Beta for a grown-up.”
Drake stared at the ceiling like he was praying for divine intervention, then muttered dramatically:
“By the moon… just end me.”
But Loric gave him a clumsy hug, squishing Bouboule under Drake’s chin. And right there, Drake melted.
Just a little.
In the Shadows of the Hallway – A Few Steps Away
Lya, leaning against the doorway, held her breath, hand over her mouth to stifle laughter. Caleb stood beside her, arms crossed, biting the inside of his cheek to keep a straight face. He watched Loric proudly as Drake froze under the child’s diplomatic assault.
“You still have hair…” Lya whispered, breathless. “And you’re funny.”
“You’re a good Beta for a grown-up,” Caleb added, chuckling. “I’m getting that embroidered on a handkerchief.”
Lya shook her head, tears in her eyes.
“He’ll never recover.”
“It’s his divine punishment. We wanted a fiery heir… we got two whirlwinds of innocent vengeance.”
They watched Loric walk away proudly, holding Drake’s hand, with Bouboule wedged between them.
“I taught him everything,” Caleb said with pride.
Lya gave him a side glance.
“Indeed. He’s got your talent for striking where it hurts… but with eyes too cute to get mad at.”
They shared a knowing smile, and Caleb slipped an arm around her, pulling her close.
“Do you think our Beta martyr will survive his field test?”
“Maybe. If Handres doesn’t rip his throat out for making Loric cry.”
As if in response, a soft growl echoed in Caleb’s mind.
He’ll do better next time. Or I revoke his titles. And his hair.
Caleb raised a brow.
“Seems your dignity’s still in danger, poor Drake…”
And like a final gift from the gods, Drake’s voice echoed through the corridor:
“CAN I GET MY DIGNITY BACK NOW?! OR AT LEAST MY BUTT?!”
This time, Lya burst into laughter. Caleb followed, and even Handres… growled in laughter too.